The best things to do in Bordeaux with kids

Last updated on May 13, 2026

It’s been a while since I fell head over heels for a city, but Bordeaux had me at first sight. Elegant, creative and bursting with charm, it reminded me of a French version
of Barcelona – with grand boulevards, ornate architecture, and a seemingly endless
supply of indie boutiques, cafés and restaurants. But what surprised me most was
just how good it is for families.

We spent a few days there with our kids and loved it so much that it’s now one of our
favourite city breaks in Europe (alongside Barcelona, San Sebastian and London). From immersive art shows in a submarine base to playful geocaching trails and leafy parks, Bordeaux has plenty for all ages. Here’s our family guide to the city – including the best things to do with kids, where to eat, and our favourite family hotel.

Is Bordeaux good for kids?

Yes, Bordeaux is a brilliant choice for a family city break. It’s compact, and the city centre is walkable, with safe cycle paths, car-free squares, and an easy-to-navigate
public transport system.

The city has a wealth of green space (the Jardin Public is a highlight), and plenty of
family-focused activities that go beyond the standard sightseeing list.

It’s France, so kids don’t get the same open-armed welcome you find in places like
Spain and Italy, but Bordeaux did feel more easy-going than other French cities we’ve visited, and there are lots of family-friendly places to eat.

Bridges and Balloons’ favourites

• Maison Hubert – one of the most stylish family boutique hotels we’ve ever stayed in.
• The Cite du Vin – an impressive wine museum that’s surprisingly kid-friendly.
• Terra Aventura app – geocaching adventures around the city with a playful twist.
• Darwin – a creative hub with skateparks, street art and cafés.
• Effet Mer – dinner and play combined: guinguette vibes, games and a neighbouring soft play.

Consider getting a Bordeaux City Pass

Buying a Bordeaux City Pass can be a good way to save money on your trip. The Junior Pass is for ages 6-17 and there’s an adult version too. The attractions included are:

• Unlimited public transport (tram, bus, shuttle boat)
• The Cité du Vin (before midday)
• Bassins des Lumières
• 15 other museums and monuments, including the Natural History Museum and Cap Sciences.
• 1 city tour of your choice (walking, boat or train, and subject to availability)

The pass is available for 48, 72 or 96 hours. Buy yours here.

Things to do in Bordeaux with kids

1. Go geocaching with Terra Aventura

Terra Aventura is a free geocaching app with family-friendly treasure hunts all across
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and there are some great ones in Bordeaux. We did the Bacalan trail, which was a fun way to explore this creative neighbourhood. It’s an old working-
class docklands area, full of warehouses and shipyards, that has been slowly transforming into one of Bordeaux’s creative hubs. It has an edge that’s a nice contrast to the elegance of the old town.

The kids were totally engaged during the Terra Aventura trail, solving clues and racing to find the next stop – and we got to discover parts of the city we’d never have stumbled across otherwise. You can go at your own pace, so we stopped along the way to visit other attractions, like the Bassins des Lumières and Cité du Vin.

2. Visit the Cité du Vin

You might not expect a wine museum to be family-friendly (I didn’t!), but Cité du Vin is one of Bordeaux’s best attractions for kids, too. The space-age building is filled with interactive exhibits, immersive films and sensory installations that bring the story of wine and the culture around it to life. Our boys loved it and ranked it among their favourite things in the city. The highlights for them were the virtual grape crushing game, where you play against other guests to stamp the most grapes in one minute. And we all loved the scent stations where you can experience all sorts of smells from liquorice to vanilla to leather. I recommend skipping the poo one!

At the end, as part of the general admission ticket, you get a free taste of wine in the panoramic rooftop bar with epic views of the city. And there are other more involved wine tasting experiences you can book. The Via Sensoria sensory tasting journey looks brilliant, but children have to be 6 and well behaved to attend.

3. Take a Crepes & Cruise boat ride

A boat trip is often a fun way to get an overview of a city, and in Bordeaux, you can do it with crepes. The “Crepes and Cruise” ride comes with a short history lesson as you glide past major sights along the Garonne – all with pancakes in hand. I’ll be honest, I don’t think the kids heard a single bit of the commentary, and it was a struggle for us to listen while also entertaining the kids. But we did learn a little bit, and it was fun regardless to see the city from the water.

4. Explore Darwin

Darwin is one of the coolest places we’ve visited with kids – a kind of alternative village set inside a former military barracks. It’s home to artisan workshops, quirky boutiques, coffee roasters, an enormous skatepark and loads of impressive street art. The whole place has a buzzy, creative energy, and it’s perfect for wandering as a family. If I lived in Bordeaux, I’d spend a lot of time here. Don’t miss the chocolate factory and the lovely bookshop.

5. See an exhibition at Bassins des Lumières

Housed in a vast WWII submarine base, Bassins des Lumières is now the world’s largest digital art centre. Immersive video installations are projected onto the walls, ceilings and even reflected in the water, making for an atmospheric and sometimes eerie experience. The kids were mesmerised – and it’s just as magical for adults. As well as the main exhibition space, there’s a smaller room too, also showing immersive video installations. We didn’t realise this until the end and almost missed it!

6. Relax in the Jardin Public

Right in the city centre, the Jardin Public is a gorgeous green escape. There’s a boating lake, tree-lined paths, a natural history museum, and a great playground. It’s a great place to spend a sunny afternoon with a picnic, letting the kids run wild while you soak up the atmosphere. I also loved going for a morning run around the park (it was just a few minutes from where we stayed at Maison Hubert.

The bigger Bordeaux Park is another lovely green space with 28 acres and all sorts of activities, including a little train, carousel and farm animals.

7. Miroir d’Eau

Right in front of the grand Place de la Bourse is the Miroir d’Eau, the world’s largest reflecting pool. It’s only a few centimetres deep, so in summer it becomes a giant splash pad where kids can run wild while adults enjoy the reflections of the 18th-century façades. Every 20 minutes or so, the water drains away and a mist rises. The mirror effect is best when the water starts to drain. It’s free, fun, and one of the most iconic family experiences in Bordeaux.

8. CAP Sciences

On the riverside, close to the wine museum, you’ll find CAP Sciences, a hands-on science museum that’s brilliant for curious kids. Exhibits range from space travel and the human body to coding, robots and forensic science. There’s plenty to touch, push and play with, and the museum runs workshops especially designed for families. It’s a good rainy-day option too, since Bordeaux is generally an outdoorsy city.

9. Botanical Gardens

Bordeaux has two botanical gardens, both worth a wander with kids. The Jardin Botanique de Bordeaux inside the Jardin Public is a gentle, family-friendly spot to explore thousands of plant species, with shady paths and little ponds. Across the river, the newer Jardin Botanique de la Bastide is more experimental, with themed landscapes, greenhouses and water features. Both are lovely for a quiet break from sightseeing.

10. Family friendly Châteaux

Wine is Bordeaux’s calling card, and several of the nearby châteaux have created family-friendly experiences so that parents don’t have to miss out. A few estates have kid-friendly elements like colourful art exhibits, treasure hunts and grape juice tastings.

We went to Chateau Chauvin in St. Emilion, where the entire tour is geared towards kids – they search for puzzle pieces on the tour that tell the story of how wine is made, and then at the end they get to try grape juice and play games while the adults do a tasting. 10/10 recommend.

Others that come recommended are: Château d’Arsac (amazing sculpture garden), Citran (kid-focused tour with activities, grape juice tasting and feeding peacocks) and Saint-Ahon (offers a digital self-guided treasure hunt).

11. Do a sweet-themed walking tour

This one is for older kids, or children who are calm and tolerate tours (i.e. not my children…yet). It’s a 2-hour guided tour around the old town where you get to discover the famous monuments while also trying regional sweet specialities. You can explore other tours like this on Get Your Guide.

12. Museum of Aquitaine

The Musée d’Aquitaine covers Bordeaux’s history from prehistoric times to the present day, including its role in trade and the darker chapters of slavery and colonialism. While it sounds heavy, I’m told there are enough artefacts, models and interactive displays to capture children’s attention too. We gave this a miss as I think my kids would get more out of it when they’re older.

13. Bike, scoot or skate the Two Bridges

Bordeaux is flat and compact, which makes it perfect for exploring by bike, especially along the left side of the river where there’s a 4.5km pedestrianised track, popular for cycling, scooting and skating. The route is known as the Two Bridges as it runs between Pont de Pierre and the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas. Several companies offer family-focused tours, or you can simply hire bikes and go at your own pace. Here are some bike tour options from Get Your Guide.

14. Electric Tourist Train

When little legs get tired, the Petit Train Touristique (an icon in every French city!) can be a handy way to see the highlights. It winds its way through the old town and along the riverfront, with multilingual audio guides available – some tailored especially for children.

15. Day Trip to Dune du Pilat an Arcachon

Archachon is one of our favourite places in France, and it’s just an hour from Bordeaux. The highlight is the Dune du Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe, where kids can scramble up the golden slopes and tumble back down while parents enjoy sweeping views of the ocean and forest. Afterwards, you can head into Arcachon for seafood, ice cream and a paddle on the beach. It’s an easy excursion and well worth adding a day to your itinerary. Read more about it in our West Coast France road trip itinerary.

More things to do in Bordeaux with kids

A few more Bordeaux family activities that we didn’t try, but come highly recommended…

• Bordeaux Pessac Zoo – small, easy-to-navigate zoo on the city’s edge, home to lions, giraffes, monkeys and more, with play areas and picnic spots.
• Museum of Illusion – classic illusion museum with plenty of fun photo opportunities
• Science Expereinces – a new immersive science museum
• Museum and Gallery of Fine Arts – Bordeaux’s main art museum, showcasing masterpieces from the Renaissance to modern times; not always aimed at kids, but the scale is manageable and the gardens make a nice break.
• Bordeaux Lake Beach – sandy, supervised beach on the shores of Bordeaux Lake (open June–mid September), perfect for a cooling swim or a day of sandcastle building without leaving the city.
• Wave Surf Cafe – indoor surf centre where kids and adults can try bodyboarding or surfing on an artificial wave!

Where to eat in Bordeaux with kids

Bordeaux has a fantastic dining scene, and there are plenty of family-friendly places to eat. Here are some we enjoyed and others that came highly recommended.

Effet Mer

Just around the corner from the Bassins des Lumières, Effet Mer is a relaxed seasonal guinguette that’s perfect for families. Expect casual food like pizza, generous outdoor seating, and plenty of games to keep the kids entertained while you linger over a drink. The big bonus (or danger, depending on your outlook!) is that children get free access to the neighbouring soft play. It’s ideal if you need them to burn off some energy, but you might also want to keep it under wraps if you’d rather not spend your time in a giant play zone.

The General Store at Darwin

Darwin is full of creative spaces, and The General Store is one of the best for families. It’s a cavernous café-restaurant with a children’s play area and lots of room for little ones to roam while you eat. The menu leans wholesome and inventive, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. It makes a perfect lunch stop after exploring the skateparks, street art and boutiques of Darwin.

Les Halles de Bacalan

For variety, head to Les Halles de Bacalan, a buzzing food hall in the Bacalan district with more than 20 stalls. You’ll find everything from fresh oysters and charcuterie to crêpes, pastries and pizza. It’s particularly good for families since everyone can pick what they fancy, and the communal seating makes it easy to settle in together. The atmosphere is lively but casual, so kids fit right in.

Chez Alriq

For a quintessential Bordeaux evening, head to Chez Alriq, a riverside guinguette
that’s been welcoming families since the 1990s. Think fairy lights strung through the
trees, live music, communal wooden tables and hearty local food. Kids have space to run around while parents relax with a glass of wine. It’s informal, friendly and fun –
the kind of place where you feel instantly part of the local scene.

Les Chantiers de la Garonne

A riverside guinguette with a sandy urban beach, Les Chantiers de la Garonne is a
favourite with local families. Kids can play on the sand while parents relax with a
glass of wine and seasonal food made from organic produce. The atmosphere is
relaxed and summery, with long wooden tables, music, and twinkling lights in the
evening. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger.

Casa Gaia

Casa Gaia is a small, eco-conscious canteen in the heart of Bordeaux, serving organic, seasonal dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the menu changes often depending on what’s fresh. It’s a good option if you’re looking for something wholesome and sustainable, with plenty of veggie choices and child-friendly plates too. They give out crayons and colouring pages, so you know kids are fully welcome.

Where to stay in Bordeaux with kids

Maison Hubert

We stayed at Maison Hubert and fell completely in love. This chic boutique hotel is designed specifically with families in mind – and it’s as stylish as it is practical.

Each suite has multiple bedrooms, bathrooms and a big living area, making it easy to
spread out. Rooms are stocked with toys and books, and you can borrow everything
from strollers and baby carriers to high chairs (all beautifully sourced from design-led
brands).

Breakfast is included – either delivered to your room or enjoyed in the communal kitchen downstairs – and it was such a treat to wake up to a tray of pastries, juice
and coffee at our door.

The hotel is in a brilliant neighbourhood, close to the Jardin Public (perfect for my
morning run and playground time for the kids, and just 15 minutes’ walk into the old
town.

We stayed in the Biggy Blush suite, with its dreamy soft-pink stripes and vintage furnishings, and I now want to redecorate my own bedroom the same way.

Maison Hubert is one of the reasons Bordeaux stole our hearts. It’s rare to find a family hotel this thoughtfully designed, and we can’t recommend it enough.

Check availability and book now.

Other places to stay with kids in Bordeaux

A few other palces that cam highly recommended in Bordeaux are:

Jost Hotel – A fun, design-led hotel with family rooms, a rooftop pool and a lively social vibe, close to Bordeaux Saint-Jean station.

Burdigala – stylish five-star hotel that combining contemporary luxury with family-friendly suites and thoughtful service.

Moxy – A playful, budget-friendly option with compact rooms, bold design and a great location by the Bassins à Flot.

Getting around Bordeaux with kids

Bordeaux is a wonderfully walkable city, but you also have excellent public transport
options:

• Trams and buses are clean, easy and affordable.
• Bikes are a popular way to get around – there are child seats and trailers available from local hire companies.
• Boats offer a fun alternative route across and up and down the river.

We mostly walked and cycled, which gave us plenty of chances to stop for playgrounds and ice cream along the way.